Deception
by YappiChick
Summary: “So, you think you are carrying some miracle child? It couldn’t just be that you slept with some guy who left you high and dry after he got what he wanted and now you’re trying to make your mistake into something noble? AU, ShepTeyla Angst, SHELYA UST
1. Chapter 1

Darkness.

That was all he saw. Or better, what he didn't see.

Quickly, he realized he couldn't move. His hands and feet were tied to something behind him.

Forcing himself to be calm, he focused on his other senses. It was cool, but not uncomfortably so. If he had to take a guess, he was somewhere underground; the air was stale. He held his breath to better hear the sounds around him. Except there was still the sound of breathing.

"Is anyone there?" he asked in a whisper, his breaths coming in short and fast.

How in the world did he get into this situation?

Fumbling around in his muddled memory, he tried to remember what he was doing before he opened his eyes. Distorted images flooded his consciousness, but he couldn't recall anything realistic. Once he thought he got a feel of something, it dissolved like a sand castle during high tide.

"Hello? Can someone help me?" he yelled, not knowing how far away the person was.

Unexpectedly, a voice spoke close to his ear. "No, but you are going to help me."

As if the voice was the missing link to his past, everything clicked. He knew that voice. He knew who it belonged to.

And he screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Teyla stepped out of the Gate with a wistful feeling. This was the first time she or anyone else from Atlantis had traveled off-world since Atlantis had to flee from the Replicators. Earlier that morning, Colonel Carter had officially taken Elizabeth's role as leader or Atlantis.

She let out a soft sigh. So much loss in the past few months. Rodney almost died, then Carson passed away after that horrific explosion, now Elizabeth was missing. Not to mention the other Marines and scientists that died from their latest battle with the Asurans.

For a fleeting second, she wished she was at home, with her people. Since their alliance with the Atlantians, none of her people died, with the exception of Charin. Such comfort would be welcome after the months of death that bombarded everyone.

Looking ahead, she saw the rest of her team and felt ashamed. All of them were feeling the same sense of loss and they were not fleeing from their responsibilities. Death was a part of life. Her father taught her that at a young age.

They approached the village with Sheppard in the lead. Teyla had no experience with these people, so they were all cautious as they approached. "Rodney, you stay with Ronon. Teyla, you're with me," Sheppard said in a low voice.

"Why do I have to stay with Ronon?" Rodney whined.

"Because, I told you to," Sheppard said through gritted teeth.

Teyla knew there was still tension between the two men, concerning the fate of Elizabeth. It was one more thing that made things difficult for her on Atlantis. The members of her team were her closest friends. When there was a rift between them, it made everything uncomfortable.

Ronon and Rodney stayed back about 50 yards, in case there was any trouble. John looked at Teyla out of the corner of his eye. "Everything ok?"

She should have known Sheppard would notice her disposition. "I am fine."

She could see him debating with himself; should he push the issue or let her lie to him? Before he could make that decision, she quickly answered, "I was thinking about those we have lost. I apologize."

Despite the fact they were only several yards from the village, he turned to her. "Never say sorry for caring. I know. It's too much damn loss too soon."

She smiled sadly at him. "If we lose someone else, I fear…" her voice trailed off as she caught movement ahead of her. "We are being watched. "

"All right," he said with a sigh. "Let's go. But Teyla, if you ever need anyone to talk to I'm here."

She forced a smile. "Thank you."

The two of them walked in the small village. There were several dozen buildings, all in good condition. The Wraith, she decided, had not culled this planet recently.

"Hello? Anyone from the welcome wagon going to greet us?" Sheppard yelled.

Twenty seconds later, Ronon and Rodney entered, seeing no threat.

"Certainly not a friendly bunch, are they?" Rodney asked.

Just as Teyla was going to suggest knocking on one of the doors, a man came out with a shocked look on his face. She heard Ronon gasp. Her grip on her gun tightened.

The man approached them, but was only staring at Ronon. "Is that you, old friend?"

Ronon narrowed his eyes, as if he couldn't believe he was seeing the man in front of him. "Tyre?"

The other man smiled broadly. "Ronon, it is you! I thought you had died years ago!"

Ronon grinned. "You should know that no Wraith can kill me that easily."

The strange look passed over Tyre's face before he laughed. "That is true. So tell me, who are your friends? And why have you traveled here?"

Introductions were made and Tyre invited them inside the building he came from. "You will find many types of people here. It seems, for whatever reason, those who have lost their way end up here. And we take them as part of our family." He grabbed Ronon's arm. "Perhaps that is why you are here, friend."

Sheppard leaned down to Teyla's ear. "Something tells me I'm not going to like where this is going."

"Perhaps, Tyre will be able to provide us with information," she said hopefully.

"Do you think they have something to eat? Because, you know, I didn't get a chance to stop by the mess hall before Carter sent us out here," complained Rodney.

Tyre looked all of them. "We have food and drinks for all. Come, follow me. You will want to meet the others."

The building was, from all appearances, a restaurant. People sat around tables, laughing and eating. It had been a long time that she had seen a village so relaxed. She looked around the room, studying those around her. Her gaze stopped when she caught sight of a man in the corner. "Kanan?" she whispered.

Immediately, she left her team to cross the room. Within seconds, she stood next to his table. "Kanan?" she asked.

He looked up from his plate with amazement. "Teyla? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

She smiled broadly. "Perhaps I should ask you the same. The last I saw you, you were leaving through the Gate to destroy the Wraith." Despite the happiness of seeing her friend, the memories of that day filled her with loss. "I feared you had died in your quest."

He jumped out of his chair and hugged her, picking her up and swinging her around. "I told you that I would never fall victim to the Wraith. What about you? Who are those people you journey with? Where is Halling?"

"It is a long story," she said, taking a seat.

Fifteen minutes later, she smiled sheepishly. She hadn't meant to reveal everything that had happened to her during the past three years. "But, what have you been doing?"

Kanan looked into her eyes. "I think those tales are better not spoken with so many people around. Let's go to my place. It's a bit more comfortable there."

Normally, she would have hesitated, but tonight she had no qualms with going with her old friend. "I would love to." Quickly she scanned the room for Sheppard or anyone from her team, but found they were gone. Surely they would call her on the radio if she was needed.

They crossed the main market square and entered a small house. "Please," he said, as they entered the living room, "have a seat."

She sat on the chair. He surprised her by taking a seat, not in the other chair, but on the arm of the chair she was in. "Many things have happened since the days of our youth, Teyla. I am not the young man that left Athos so many seasons ago. I have seen many travesties on many worlds. But there is one thing that I was always able to think of and be strong. You. Your smile. Your grace. Your kindness."

He leaned down close to her face. "Your love."

She flushed. It had been a long time since a man had openly flirted with her. It made her feel alive. And after so much death, it was a welcome feeling. Unable to control herself, she kissed him, full of passion.

"Teyla, I have missed you," Kanan said, between kisses.

"Then welcome me back," Teyla said as they fell to the floor.

She must have fallen asleep because when she woke up, Kanan was nowhere to be found. Quickly, she got herself dressed and started looking for him.

Walking briskly, she entered into the restaurant that they had come from. Only looking for Kanan, she bumped into Rodney. "Watch where you are--Oh! Teyla. Sheppard's looking for you," he said before walking away.

She reached up for her earpiece and found that it wasn't there. Where had her radio gone?

"Looking for this?" Sheppard asked, holding her radio.

"Where did you find it?"

"At the table back there," he said, pointing to the place where she and Kanan sat.

"I am sorry," she mumbled, placing the earpiece back in her ear.

"Where did you go anyway? Ladies room?"

She blushed, reminded of what she and Kanan had just done. "The man I was with, have you seen him?" she asked, deflecting the question.

Sheppard shook his head. "Um, who?"

It was not like John to play games with her. "Kanan. He was at that table back there."

He thought for a moment. "I didn't notice you with anybody, but I was paying attention to Tyre. He has some incredible intel on the Wraith." He paused at her worried look. "We could ask around, try to find him. Was he an old friend?"

Teyla didn't understand what was going on. Why had Kanan fled? Surely there must have been a reason. She shook her head. "I am sure he will come back."

Despite her claim, Kanan never did return. When they returned back to Atlantis, Teyla felt more alone than she did before.


	3. Chapter 3

Four months later:

Teyla was on the infirmary bed, recovering from a blast from a Wraith stunner. While traveling off-world, the team encountered a group of Wraith outside the village they were visiting. They had managed to eliminate the threat, but Teyla had been hit.

Keller looked from the screen with Teyla's vitals to Sheppard. "Well, she's going to be fine, but, Colonel, we don't know what effects Wraith stunners have on embryos. I'll monitor the baby, but so far, everything looks fine."

John's mind stopped processing anything she said after the word "embryos." "Um, doc, what are you talking about?"

Keller's eyes widened. "You mean she didn't tell you?" She sighed as he shook his head. "Look, I've said more than I should have. I just thought since you are friends…" She trailed off. "I'll contact you when she's awake. It shouldn't be more than a half hour."

He hated being sent away. However, what he despised more was being left in the dark about members of his team. Teyla was pregnant? How? When? With whom? With each question, Sheppard's walking became more swift, as if he was trying to run away from the Athosian woman.

Unable to get a grip on his anger, he went to his quarters, not wanting to take out his rage on anyone around him. Why hadn't she told him? Obviously, she was aware of her…condition. It wasn't like there wasn't an opportunity; they saw each other every day.

His anger was fueled by her betrayal with every second. People were wrong, he thought. Anger wasn't red; it was an explosion of color, a fire that could only been extinguished by hitting something really hard.

Just as he was about to see if it was possible to punch a hole through the wall, his door chime interrupted him. Stomping, he quickly activated the door crystal. When he opened the door, Teyla was standing on the other side. "John," she said softly.

His laugh was bitter. "Oh, so it's John, huh? You can't reveal your secret to 'Colonel Sheppard', but 'John' will just forgive you with no questions asked, right?" he said.

"May I please come in?" she asked, not dismayed by his demeanor.

"Sure, I mean it's not like anything is going to happen anyway, right?"

That time the comment hit its mark; her eyes fluttered closed. "I should not have kept this information from you. Any of you," she admitted.

"Damn right. Teyla, how in the hell am I suppose to trust you if you can't do the same?" he asked in a raised voice.

"I believe this child is a gift from the Ancestors. I did not want to curse it," she said, trying to explain herself.

A gift? "What the hell does that mean?"

She sat on the edge of his bed. At any other time, it would have thrilled Sheppard that she was so relaxed in his quarters. Now, he could barely stand to look at her, knowing she had been in somebody else's bed.

"Do you remember when we visited that planet with Tyre?"

He nodded. Of course he did, it was the first mission they had with Colonel Carter in charge of Atlantis.

"The man that I was with, his name is Kanan. He is an Athosian who left many years ago to try to fight the Wraith. In our youth, we were quite in l--"

"Ok, I got the picture. You see an old flame. So what?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

"After talking, we went back to his place and--"

"You guys did the horizontal tango?" Sheppard spat.

Though unfamiliar with the term, she understood the context of what he was saying. Nodding, she answered, "Afterwards, I could not find him as you know. For many weeks, I was upset. I know that Kanan is a good man, but I could not understand why he would leave. About a month later, Dr. Keller and I traveled to Athos and my people were missing. It was there I discovered the impending birth of my child. I knew then that my night with Kanan was the Ancestors way of allowing the Athosians to survive."

John looked at her disbelievingly. "So, you think you are carrying some miracle child?" At her nod, he nearly exploded. "It couldn't just be that you slept with some guy who left you high and dry after he got what he wanted and now you're trying to make your mistake into something noble?"

He wasn't expecting her to slap him across the face.

"Do not refer to my baby as such! Unexpected, yes, but it is not a mistake."

He shrugged off her demand. "Whatever. But, the bottom line is that you withheld information about you that could compromise the team. How are we suppose to investigate places unexplored being exposed to who knows what without the child affecting those decisions? We can't operate as a team." He swallowed, already hating himself for what he was about to say. "Teyla, you're off my team. Talk it over with Carter and see what she wants you to do."

Tears welled up in her eyes. Despite her sorrow, part of her was glad not having to risk the health of her baby. Still, to not by John, Ronon, and Rodney, would be lonely. "If you feel that would be best," she said, trying to sound strong.

"I do," he said. "Look, you should probably get some rest. I'm sure Dr. Keller wants you to take it easy after everything today."

John wasn't really surprised when Carter radioed him, asking to see him in her office. When he stepped in, she took no time to put him on the defensive. "What is this about you taking Teyla off your team?" she demanded.

"I assume she decided to fill you in on her condition," he said bitterly as he took a seat.

"She did."

"There you know there is no way in hell that I'm going to take her off-world and jeopardize her or the baby. Dr. Keller already was worried what one blast from the Wraith stunner was going to do to it. There's no reason to put her in that situation," he explained.

"I know that my trust in her has been shot." He leaned forward in his chair. "I mean, she thinks that the Ancients played a part with her hooking up with this guy. Come on."

"Colonel, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you were jealous," she said.

He surprised them both by his answer. "Jealous doesn't even begin to describe it."

Carter nodded. "All right, you find another member for your team. I'll give Teyla another assignment."

He nodded, torn between being relived that he didn't have to stand by while the fruits of Teyla and Kanan's labor grew and mourning the fact he was losing one of his best friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: For those of you who read this on GW, it is a bit different. I basically rewrote the middle. :D And thank you to everyone who has given me an excouraging word! Y'all rule:D

Months had passed since that horrible day; Teyla's due date was less than a week away. In many regards, it still was odd to Sheppard that Teyla wasn't by his side every day. Though Lorne was an incredible asset to his team, no one could replace Teyla's insight and company.

After a few awkward weeks, Sheppard forced himself to be cordial to Teyla. If she was happy about this pregnancy, he could at least tolerate it. To his surprise, he found that after the initial jealousy wore off, there was part of him that was excited to see this new little one. So many people had died on this expedition; it would be a welcome change to see some life added to it.

Besides, he figured, when the little one came around, he would at least be the cool "Uncle John" and maybe, if things worked out, something more.

Everything with the pregnancy had gone normally, as far as Keller could tell. So far, Teyla had steadfastly refused to have any ultrasound done on the baby or any other "interference". Since there was no reason to suspect there was anything wrong, Dr. Keller reluctantly complied.

After Sheppard's request to have Teyla taken off his team, Carter had allowed Teyla to investigate what had happened to her people. Though there were very little she had to go by, she had not given up on the fate of the Athosians. Twice, she had asked Sheppard and his team to accompany her to different planets, each time yielding very little in information. Finally, as the end of her pregnancy came near, she sadly put the search for her people on hold until her child was born.

For the past month, things between John and Teyla seemed almost normal. Late night meetings at the mess hall had become a regular part of his day. Watching Teyla eat meatloaf with chocolate sauce, however, was still something he couldn't wrap his mind around.

Last night, their nightly ritual was interrupted by something a bit more pressing: Teyla's baby shower. Though John wasn't completely sold on the idea, he had to admit that everything went well.

Nevertheless, the baby shower gifts were a bit unorthodox. His gift, a baby-sized football jersey for a boy and a baby-sized cheerleading outfit if it was a girl, seemed mundane to some of the other things she received. Rodney gave her a "Guide to Raising a MENSA child" book and Ronon gave her one of his Satedan knifes. It was a great honor, he told her at her raised eyebrow. The rest of the people in attendance, including Keller and Carter, gave her more traditional gifts.

Now, he was waiting in the control room for Teyla to return. Earlier in the month, she had explained that the Athosian women must go through a cleansing ritual before birth and needed to return to Athos to perform it. Though Carter was hesitant to let her go, she did, but only after a team cleared the area the day she was to go.

Glancing at his watch, Sheppard saw Radek snicker. "Something funny?" he asked defensively.

"It's just that you have looked at your watch five times in the past ten minutes. I am sure Teyla is going to be fine. You cleared the area yourself," Radek answered.

"Yeah well, you know how things tend to go."

Suddenly, the alarm that signaled off-world activation sounded. "Is that Teyla?" Sheppard asked. If she was already back, that could only mean trouble. Right?

Zelenka looked at the screen. Shock passed over his face. "That's not right."

"What?" Sheppard asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"The IDC." He tapped a couple of commands, still frowning.

"Why? Whose IDC is it?"

Zelenka looked up from the screen. "Carson's," he answered in a whisper.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing this and my other recent stories! You all rule! As always, please R&R. Thanks!

Sheppard looked at Zelenka. "Carson…Beckett?" he asked stunned.

"Well, he's the only Carson to ever serve on the base," Radek said dryly.

Sheppard narrowed his eyes. Of course he knew that. He tapped his earpiece. Sam needed to know what was going on. "Colonel, I think you need to get up here." When he was finished, he looked at Zelenka. "You might want to let Rodney know what's going on."

The scientist nodded. John's ears were ringing. "And could you turn off that damn alarm?"

Within seconds, the sound was muted. Now he had a chance to think clearly. Who had Carson's IDC? How did they have a chance to get it? It couldn't really be Carson, could it?

As expected, Carter and Rodney were in the control room within a couple of minutes. "What's going on, John?" Carter asked.

"We have an unscheduled off-world activation."

"Ok," Carter said with a shrug. "Is it one of the teams that got finished early?"

"No," Zelenka said, shaking his head. "According to the signal, it's Dr. Beckett's IDC."

Rodney paled. "Carson? But I mean, how could it be him? There was nothing left after the explosion. And I don't believe it ghosts. I mean, I didn't, but this whole thing maybe has me reconsidering that theory."

"We don't know who got a hold of his IDC, Rodney, but I intend on finding that out," John said. He turned to Carter. "I think we should have two teams here to welcome our guest."

"No, we're not putting the shield down," Carter said simply.

"What?!" all three men asked at once.

"What if there are Wraith on the other side or the Asurans?"

Rodney rolled his eyes. "If it was them, I'm pretty sure they would send one of their ships to this planet that could destroy Atlantis rather than using a dead man's IDC to get through the gate."

"Still, I'm not willing to put the base at risk," Carter argued.

Sheppard forced himself not to get angry. "I think two teams can handle whatever comes through the gate. If there is a, let's say, troop of bad guys, we'll just have Zelenka close the wormhole and deal with the threat. But, we need to see who has Carson's IDC and get it back."

Carter thought for a couple of seconds. Finally, she nodded. "All right. Get Lorne's and McDonall's team up here." She looked at Sheppard in the eye. "I think you need to be down there too, considering you're the one pushing for this."

Sheppard nodded. "There isn't any other place I'd want to be." Except for maybe Athos, he thought briefly.

Three minutes later, eight Marines and Sheppard faced the gate, their weapons drawn. Carter looked at Zelenka. "Go ahead and let them in."

Instead of a battalion of Genii or group of Wraith entering the gate, it was the one man who they thought had died many months previously. Carson.

Despite seeing his old friend, Sheppard knew it could be a Replicator. He nodded to Lorne, who shot a burst from the A.R.G. When Carson didn't react, Sheppard let a little of his guard down. "Carson? Is that really you?"

He nodded. "Aye, it is."

And with that, he fainted.

Ten minutes later, when he woke up, Carson saw the concerned eyes of Keller looking at him. He sat up quickly, ignoring her hand trying to keep him flat on the bed.

"Teyla! Where's Teyla?" Carson asked frantically.

Rodney frowned. "Oh, so it was Teyla you missed after all this time, huh?"

Carson frowned. "I need to find her. Now."

Sheppard stepped forward. "She's off world in Athos. She said there was some ritual she needed to perform," he answered.

Carson closed his eyes in disbelief. "There's no bloody ritual. We're probably too late."

They all exchanged glances. "What are you talking about?" asked John.

The Scot hesitated in answering, knowing how Sheppard, of all people, would react. "You see, I'm responsible for Teyla's pregnancy."


	6. Chapter 6

-1John just stared at Carson with a look more deadly than venom. Keller's mouth opened in shock. Ronon grunted in disbelief.

Only Rodney was able to come up with something to say, "You and Teyla? I mean, come on I thought she and Sheppard would get together. And if not those two, then maybe she and Ronon would try something. I mean, they are both from this galaxy. And I thought, you know, if that didn't work out, then maybe her and me…" He looked at everyone, who was frowning. "I mean, it's not that you're unattractive or anything, it's just--"

"Shut up, McKay," Ronan demanded.

Carson frowned. "Teyla and I were never together, Rodney."

The tension in the room dropped considerably. "Than do you care to explain yourself?" asked a still ruffled Sheppard.

"Yes, I do. I don't have time for this. We need to find Teyla," Carson said, trying to get off the table.

"Dr. Beckett, you aren't going anywhere. Not until we get an explanation of how you are alive and standing here," Carter said.

"Where's Elizabeth?" he asked, looking around the room. "I don't answer to the military, Colonel."

Pain crossed over their faces. "She's gone," Ronan said simply.

He sighed. "Then he was telling the truth. I hoped that he was just telling me that to cooperate."

"Who? Where have you been all this time?" Sheppard asked.

Carson shot a glance at Carter. There was no way she was going to let anyone follow his suggestions until he told everyone what had happened. The less time he wasted, the quicker they could get to Teyla.

He took a deep breath. "I didn't die in that explosion a year ago. In fact, I hadn't been on Atlantis for nearly two weeks before that." Before anyone could ask him any other questions, he continued. "When Teyla and I went to Athos, after her entrapment in Jamas' machine, I was doing my usual checkups. I had forgotten my vaccinations and was heading back to the gate when someone grabbed me."

"Who?" asked Rodney.

"Michael," Carson said, still frightened at the memory. "When I came to, he held me prisoner in a cave, on some Godforsaken planet."

"Wait a minute. We saw you after that," Ronan rumbled.

"I know that. Obviously, it wasn't me. It was a clone," explained Carson.

"The Wraith can clone people?" asked Rodney. "That's a truly astounding achievement." He stopped for a second. "If they can clone humans, why don't they just feed on them?"

Grimacing, Carson answered, "According to Michael, they aren't as…satisfying."

"Diet humans," Sheppard said dryly. "It's the latest in Wraith weight loss."

"Aye," agreed Carson. "According to Michael, he was able to train the clone in a few weeks. Since he had spent so much time here, he knew my mannerisms and 'primitive' medical knowledge. Passing them along, he said, had been easy. He waited for the opportunity and switched he and I."

"After I was captured, he spent weeks, breaking me." His haunted look met Sheppard's gaze. "You have no idea how powerful the Wraith really are. He would tell me his horrible plan, show me the evil experiments he was creating and how he was going to make me help him. "

"What plan?" Sheppard asked.

His eyes fluttered closed, guilt weighing him down. "That's why we need to find Teyla. I was there, in the Taranan settlement, when you discovered what Michael had been creating."

"Why didn't you say anything? I'm sure Master Chief over there could have rescued you," Rodney said, nodding in Ronon's direction.

"Rodney, I have no control over what I was doing. Michael personally assigned me two of his 'children' to make sure I behaved until he was ready for me." He stopped, his eyes watering. "I am so sorry."

"For what?" Carter asked.

"After Michael caught Teyla, he made me…implant dozens of Wraith eggs in Teyla--"

"WHAT?" shouted John.

"Colonel, I didn't know what I was doing. You have seen how easily Michael can control people. I didn't know any of this happened until you all were off-planet. Teyla, he said, was weak from an ordeal with a Wraith Queen and the process was easier than expected," Carson said.

"Wait, wait, wait. How do you know that Michael wasn't trying to pull one over on you? Teyla has already said the father is a man named Kanan," Rodney said.

Carson shook his head. "There is no father. Well, I guess, Michael would technically be it. Kanan is nothing more than an illusion that the embryos created in Teyla's mind. They knew that if she was to suddenly become pregnant that their existence would be terminated. If, however, she thought she was pregnant, no one would be the wiser. Even in their embryonic stage, their survival is paramount"

For the first time since he started talking, he looked at Keller. "She didn't let you do an ultrasound, did she, Jen?"

Keller shook her head. "I tried, but she was adamant."

"It's not your fault, Love," Carson assured her. "The bugs have been controlling Teyla subconsciously for the past year and now that the time for them to…hatch, she's in danger. I doubt she's even in control of herself anymore. That's why we need to find her. If these…things hatch, Teyla will never be freed from their control. She will be their Queen and they will never allow her to escape. That's why it's so important to find her."

Carson watched as Carter and Sheppard exchanged a look. After a few seconds, she nodded. Sheppard nodded to Ronon as he tapped his earpiece. "Lorne, meet me in the control room. We're going on a trip."

Rodney stayed by Carson's bedside. "I still have many questions."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

"How did you escape? And how did you know where to find us?"

"I didn't escape. Michael released me for 'good behavior'. Since the embryos are now viable, he had no use for me any longer. I suppose if the experiment failed, he needed me around to try again. When I tried to dial a gate to Atlantis, the wormhole never established. Then I tried going to Athos, but there was no one there. Finally, I tried M7G-677."

"The planet with all the kids?"

He nodded. "Aye. They said that you had to move Atlantis and provided me with the new address. I dialed it and now I'm here."

Rodney nodded. "How long do you think she has? You know, before they, um, hatch."

"From what Michael estimated. Less than 48 hours."


	7. Chapter 7

Sheppard radioed Atlantis twenty minutes later. "Carson was right," he said to Carter. "She's not here, but…I think she tried to tell us something. I need McKay and Carson to come here."

"John, I don't think--"

"Damn it, Colonel. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines and hope that something good happens. Teyla's life is in danger. I refuse to let Michael get his hands on her," he argued. "The last thing we need to deal with is an army of super Wraith bugs."

He heard her sigh and knew he had won the battle. "Fine. I'll send McKay and Dr. Carson there. But, John, no unnecessary risks. Losing one person on this expedition is hard enough, there's no need to increase that number."

"Understood. Sheppard out."

He looked at Ronon. "You were right. Michael was one of the biggest mistakes we have ever made. Happy?"

"No, not until he's dead," Ronon answered simply. He turned to the carving in the tree. "You really think McKay will be able to figure out where she went?"

The bark showed three gate symbols. Sloppily carved, the symbols staggered down the tree, as if Teyla's ability to control herself had been completely lost. Sheppard could only hope that with what little information that they had and the records from the DHD, Rodney could determine where she went.

John tried not to go stir crazy as he waited for the men to arrive. Instead, he searched around the area, looking for anything else that Teyla may have left behind.

Inwardly, he was berating himself. If only he would have insisted Teyla got an ultrasound, she would be safe. If only he would have insisted on going with her, she would be safe. If only--

"It's not your fault," Ronon said simply.

He whipped around to face his friend. "Isn't it? I should have noticed something was wrong," he argued.

"Listen, none of us knew. There's no point in wasting your energy feeling guilty," Ronon assured him.

"Yeah, but…"

Ronon put his hand on Sheppard's shoulder. "We're going to find her," he said.

John agreed with him on that point. There was absolutely no way he would allow Michael to harm Teyla in anyway. He knew Ronon was set on killing him, but if John found him first, all bets were off.

Please, Teyla, he thought, keep on fighting.

Five minutes later, Rodney and Carson stepped through the gate, each with their own equipment. Ronon nodded to the medical kit. "What's that for?"

For a moment, Carson hesitated in answering. Finally he spoke, "If--When we find Teyla, it is imperative that I remove the eggs before they hatch."

Rodney swallowed nervously. "What happens, you know, if we're too late?"

Fortunately, Carson didn't have to answer. "We're not going to be," John said. He led Rodney to the carvings on the tree. "Think that's enough to go off of?"

"It should be. Let me hook into the DHD and I'll see what I can come up with."

Carson avoided John's gaze. Anger radiated off him in wave. The doctor could practically hear the colonel saying "Stay the hell away from me!"

Besides, Carson knew no words could begin to express the anguish he felt, hurting his dear friend. In many ways, Teyla had become like a sister to him. Soft spoken and wise, like his sister on earth, Carson always felt a connection to the Athosian woman.

Finally, Ronon couldn't stand the silence any longer. "Did you ever try to escape?" he asked.

"Aye," he answered, nodding. Knowing Rodney would take a while, he unfastened his flak jack and lifted his shirt. Numerous angry scars disfigured the doctor's torso.

John's eyes widened. "There must be a dozen scars."

"And seventeen more on my back," responded Carson. "I never gave up my fight to find a way back to try to save Teyla. Now, I fear, it may be too late."

The three of them stood in awkward silence until Rodney spoke. "She went to MX-1013."

Sheppard walked to him. "Do you know anything about it?"

Rodney shrugged. "Not much. According to the database, it's an abandoned Wraith world. But, I don't know how reliable that information is. With the attacks they have sustained from the Replicators, the place might be crawling with Wraith."

"Well, that's just a risk we're going to have to take," John said. "Go ahead and dial the gate."

Rodney nodded and did as he was instructed. Within seconds, the wormhole was established.

John looked at his team. "I'm sure you all know how important this rescue mission is to me." He began to look slightly uncomfortable. "So, let's make sure we get Teyla back home safely, k?"

Everyone around him nodded. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the threshold.

When they stepped through the gate, a barren land presented itself. Mostly rock, no vegetation. Void of life. Fitting, Sheppard thought, that Teyla would come here.

Once the immediate area was secure, John put down his gun and turned to Rodney who was scanning the area for life signs.

Carefully, they walked up the rocky hill. Everything was silent except for the crunching of the ground.

Finally, Rodney spoke. "I'm picking up one life sign. Over there," he said, pointing towards the east. "Behind that boulder about 50 yards away."

Adrenaline pumped through John. It had to be Teyla. Since there was only one life sign, it meant that the eggs hadn't hatched. Carson would be able to remove them and everything would be fine.

Despite his excitement, he had to approach slowly. The terrain was uneven; rocks were crumbling under the pressure of his weight.

Ronon walked next to him, his gun set to stun. "You ready?"

Sheppard nodded as they approached the gray boulder. Together they peeked around the boulder, ready to save Teyla. But, who they saw was not who they wanted to see.

Michael.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has commented on this story! I'm glad y'all are enjoying this. Just a warning…there is a Character Death coming up. (It's not a good guy, if that matters to you.) Consider yourself warned! And as always, enjoy! **

* * *

No no no no, John's mind screamed as he hid behind the boulder again. If Michael was already there, that means he had already intercepted Teyla. Though he looked as though he was alone, Sheppard knew Michael could have an army of his super bugs waiting out of his line of sight. They would have to be careful.

He shot a look at Ronon, trying to silently come up with a plan. Four Marines, a Satedan, a scientist and a medical doctor was hardly a match for one of his creatures, let alone a group of them. Damn, he thought, they should have been prepared for this.

"You can come out, Colonel Sheppard. I smelled you and your friends the moment you stepped from the gate," called Michael from behind the boulder. John could swear the wraith was almost laughing at them.

He cursed inwardly. So much for the element of surprise, he thought bitterly. He turned to Ronon. "Do not harm him in any way until we find out where Teyla is."

Ronon considered this. John knew all the man in front of him wanted to do was kill Michael; Ronon's finger was still on the trigger of his gun. Finally he nodded. "Fine, but once we know where she is, I make no promises."

John knew that was the best he would get from Ronon. He looked at Carson who paled at the sound of Michael's voice. Though part of him still blamed the doctor for Teyla's condition, Carson was still his friend. "You ok?" he asked quietly.

The Scot nodded. "Aye, I knew there was a chance we would see him. I'm alright, Colonel."

John nodded. They couldn't waste more time; Teyla needed them. Taking a deep breath, he led his men from behind the boulder. As they approached Michael, John could see that the wraith was near the ledge of a cliff. Looking in the valley below, John could make out buildings in the distance.

"Where's Teyla?" he asked.

To his surprise, Michael laughed. "Don't you want to inquire as to how I am doing?"

Ronon pointed the gun at Michael's head. "No."

John pressed his lips together. "I wouldn't piss him off. People usually end up dead that way. Now, where is Teyla?"

"She is safe, I assure you. She is in the best place she can be to have her offspring," answered Michael elusively.

"And that would be?" Rodney asked.

"In a medical facility building, of course," Michael answered simply.

John blanched. "You mean she's in a Wraith hospital?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Well, if you don't mind, I think I would prefer for her to be on Atlantis in our infirmary," John said sarcastically.

"I am sure you are aware that I do not intend that let that happen," Michael responded.

Sheppard looked around. "Where are your bodyguards anyway?" At his confused look, he added, "You know? You're super bug friends."

Michael frowned for a second, to John's surprise. "They were insistent that they stay with the Queen."

Blood roared in John's ears as anger coursed through his body. The Queen? Teyla? Flashes of the beautiful woman he had become so close to over the years played in his mind. There was no way she would never be something as hideous as a Wraith Queen.

Sensing his thoughts, Michael smiled cruelly. "It's only a matter of time, Colonel. After she bears the offspring, her state of mind will be like the Wraith. And after a dose of the improved retrovirus, her physical appearance will be altered, completing her transformation. She will be our new Queen."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Ronon said, shooting Michael in the chest.

The blast knocked Michael on the ground. Carson ran to him, checking his pulse. After a few moments, he stood up. "He's still alive."

Another round flashed from Ronon's gun, hitting Michael in the chest again. "Not anymore."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's notes: Sorry it's been a while since an update. I'm going to try to be better about that! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! And as always, reviews are totally appreciated!

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John stared at Ronon with belief. "I thought we had agreed to not kill him until after we found out where Teyla was," he said angrily.

Ronon shrugged. "He told us she was in some kind of medical facility. We'll find it."

"And if it happens to be off-world?" Rodney asked, staring in disgust at the still form of Michael.

"It's not," Ronon said simply. "Or else he wouldn't have been here."

John looked at Carson. If anyone knew how Michael operated, it would be him. After a moment's consideration, Carson nodded. "I think Ronon's right. Michael wouldn't have let Teyla go far without him, even with his creatures watching over her."

As much as he understood Ronon's anger, John wished his friend would have exercised self-control. If Michael was alive, they could have at least held his hostage from his creatures. Maybe even held an exchange: Teyla for their creator. He pushed aside his disappointment; there was no reason to waste energy worrying about something that was no longer plausible.

Taking a deep breath, John said, "All right, let's go down there and check things out."

"Um, don't you think we should go back to Atlantis and, you know, get some backup? We already know what we're going up against when Michael's bugs find us," Rodney said, eying the abandoned town warily.

Sheppard thought for a moment. He knew that if he were to contact Carter, more than likely, she would want him to come back to Atlantis and come up with a more organized rescue. Inwardly, he knew there wasn't any time for that kind of planning. He couldn't, no, wouldn't risk losing the only chance to save Teyla.

Time was running out.

"We can't leave her here. We'll just be really careful," John said uncertainly.

"Spoken like a true hero," Rodney whined.

"Come on," Ronon said, leading the group down the steep slope.

The team followed Ronon, paying careful attention to their footing. Despite his cautiousness, Carson, weighted down by his equipment, began to slip down the hill. Fortunately, Ronon caught his arm before he could go too far.

Once they got to the bottom of the hill, Rodney took out the life detector. With a determined nod, Sheppard led his people to the buildings in the distance.

Minutes passed with no one saying a word. Even Rodney was silent, focusing on the device in front of him. When they got to the outskirts of the village, John looked at Rodney who shook his head. "I'm not picking anything up yet. However, you have to remember, this device is extremely limited. Its range is 100 yards. Max."

Sheppard looked around, noticing the village was much different from the ones they had encountered over the years. It reminded him more of Sateda rather than Athos. The buildings were sturdy, made with concrete and steel rather than cloth or sticks.

Slowly, they made their way down, what John assumed, was the main street of the city. He wondered what exactly the purpose of the buildings was. Most of them were in perfect condition; it just looked like the Wraith got up and left one day.

They walked across an intersection. On the corner, he saw several mummified skeletons hanging off the awning, like pieces of meat in a butcher shop.

"Is that what I think it is?" Rodney asked, disgust in his voice.

"A Wraith's version of a grocery store," John muttered, passing the bones.

As they approached the last intersection, Rodney spoke up. "I've got about three dozen life signs, down there," he said, pointing to the left.

John's grip on his gun tightened. Three dozen? They didn't stand a chance, he knew.

Rodney studied the screen, then looked down the street. "I think most of them are in the building. Only two of them are on the street as far as I can tell."

John turned to the men with him; each had a determined look in their eye. No one was prepared to allow Teyla suffer the horrible fate Michael had planned for her. "All right, be on your toes," he instructed.

"Because we weren't already?" commented Rodney sarcastically.

"Shut up, McKay," growled Ronon.

Sheppard looked at his friend with appreciation. He knew Rodney was only speaking that way to cover his fear, but it was still annoying. "The moment you pick up a human life sign, you tell us. Get Carson to her," he told Rodney.

"What if she is already a Wr-" Rodney started.

"I'm not going to think that way right now. Neither should you," gritted John.

Slowly, they made their way down the road. The steady footsteps of the men echoed down the empty street.

"Fifty yards," Rodney whispered.

"Are they moving towards us?" John asked quietly.

"Not yet."

Ronon glanced at Sheppard as they continued walking. There was no way the creatures were unaware of their presence. Something was going on. The grip on his gun tightened.

"Twenty-five yards."

"Look!" John hissed. Down the street, they could see one of the bugs, hiding behind the corner of one of the buildings. "Where is the other one, McKay?"

"Behind the one that you saw. The others are still in the buildings," answered Rodney.

They continued towards their target. John wondered why they weren't attacking. Surely, they knew that even outnumbered, the creatures still had a chance of surviving.

Each step caused more adrenaline to pump through Sheppard. His heart was pounding.

Fifteen yards.

Ten yards.

Five yards.

John and his team were practically standing in front of the two creatures. Yet, they didn't attack. They barely acknowledged them, only looking at the men.

Suddenly, the two of them began to chirp to each other. "Hold your fire," John said, waiting to see what the bugs were going to do. After they stopped speaking to each other, the creatures remained still.

"Where's Teyla?" John asked, knowing that it was unlikely they understood him.

To everyone's surprise, they began chirping again. This time faster and louder. After a few moments, they turned around and started walking away.

"I believe, Colonel, they are expecting us to follow them," Carson said, eying them warily.

Decision made, Sheppard led his team after the bugs. Hang on, Teyla, he thought, we're coming.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: Thank you, once again, for your kind words! Enjoy!**

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"Excuse me, are you out of your mind?" asked Rodney, panicked. He turned to Ronon. "Aren't you going to stop him?"

"We're here to find Teyla, right?" rumbled Ronon.

"Yeah, but I didn't think my death was required," complained Rodney.

"Rodney, we're going to be fine," Carson said, trying to reassure him.

"This coming from the man has been held captive by these creatures for months." McKay saw his friend's stricken face. "I'm sorry, Carson. I'll just shut up now."

"Just keep your eye on the life signs detector. I want to know when to expect more of their friends," John said as they turned a corner.

At the end of the alley, the creatures opened a door on the back of the building. There was little light in there, Sheppard noticed. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, he thought.

Before they entered the building, he turned to Lorne and his men. "You guys stay out here. I'll radio you if there is any trouble."

"But, sir--"

"You have your orders, Major," Sheppard said, taking a step into the building.

Wordlessly, Ronon, Rodney and Carson followed him inside. After several yards, Rodney spoke up, "We've got two of them coming up about 15 yards away. They are definitely coming towards us."

Sheppard glanced at the creatures that were leading them. He slowed his steps so that there was more distance between them and he and his team. "We don't fire until they attack us."

"That's stupid," complained Ronon.

"That's how we're going to do it. So far, they haven't done anything to harm us," Sheppard said.

"Yet," Rodney couldn't help to add.

"Look," Carson said, pointing ahead of them. In the limited light, it was difficult to see very far ahead of them. However, there was no mistaking the hideous bug-men that were quickly approaching them.

John tightened the grip on his gun instinctively. Something wasn't right, he knew. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ronon pointing his gun at them, barely able to resist the impulse to pull the trigger.

Without warning, a flurry of action happened. The two creatures that were walking towards them, suddenly charged. One of them grabbed Sheppard by the throat. The other threw his gun to the floor. Sheppard tried to kick at the creature choking him, but was only rewarded with being thrown at the wall.

Dazed and wounded, he looked up at his team who were trying, unsuccessfully, to reach him. The blasts from Ronon's guns did nothing to slow any of the creatures down.

One by one, the creatures caught Rodney, Carson and Ronon. Pushing against the wall with the creature's massive arms, there was nothing they could do to escape. Ronon struggled against the strong creature, but to no avail.

The remaining bug man turned to Sheppard and picked him up effortlessly. Satisfied that the others were subdued, the creature took Sheppard down the hall.

Crap, thought Sheppard, what have I gotten us into?

He watched as the image of his friends faded, no longer able to see them. He knew Ronon would find a way out. He had to. The guilt of endangering his friends threatened to overwhelm him.

Sheppard forced himself not to panic. They obviously wanted him for some reason or else they would have just killed him. He assumed the same with the others.

They made several turns, running down the hallway. Wherever it was taking him, it wanted to get there in a hurry. Suddenly, they reached the end of the hallway where an unopened door stood.

It threw Sheppard to the ground in front of the door. Suddenly, it started chirping to him.

He looked at the door suspiciously. "Nah, that's ok. I'd rather just go back with my team."

Unimpressed with his answer, it pushed him none-too-gently towards the door.

"Then again, I think I'll take what's behind door number one," he quipped.

Slowly, he reached for the door, pushing it open. A large, nearly dark room presented itself before him. He cautiously stepped inside the room.

Suddenly he could make out a creature on the other side of the room. He squinted. It was definitely a Wraith; there was no mistaking its white skin. However, there was something different about it.

He took a few more steps closer to it and froze. The image before him was something his nightmares had only seen.

It was no normal Wraith, it was… "Teyla?" he asked disbelief in his voice.

"Welcome, Colonel Sheppard, I have been waiting for you," she greeted.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes: Thank you all for your kind feedback! I appreciate all of your kind words!**

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As John walked closer to her, he amended his earlier thoughts; she wasn't fully Wraith. She was some kind of twisted human-wraith hybrid, much like Michael. Unconsciously, he recoiled back at the sight of her. This was not the woman who had left Atlantis earlier that day.

She laughed bitterly. "Am I not as beautiful to you as I was before?" Before he could speak, she continued. "There is no need to concern yourself. Within hours, I will return to my normal appearance. Michael was unable to alter my DNA as much as he hoped." She looked at him, frowning. "Where is he? I was told he was not with your team."

"Ronon killed him. Now we can--"

"Good," she said, cutting him off. "That is one less obstacle I must contend with."

John found her coldness more disturbing than her physical appearance. "Teyla, we're here to save you. You aren't carrying Kanan's child. There are dozens of Wraith inside of you."

"Do you think I do not know that? I am to be their queen," she stated.

Her complacency startled John. Where was her fighting spirit? "Teyla, you need to get out of here and let us help you. You need to find your people and be their leader, not become some wraith queen."

A flicker of sadness passed over her eyes. "My people are no longer. Michael has made sure of it."

John didn't know quite what to say. The quest for her people, in particular Kanan, was all she focused on outside of her child. "I'm sorry," he said awkwardly.

She sneered at him, full of contempt. "I am too, John Sheppard. Your people have brought nothing but pain and despair to this galaxy: the awakening of the Wraith, the creation of Michael that resulted in his horrible experiments, the reactivation of the Replicators. But your short era is about to end. My children and I will set things right."

He gaped at her, unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth. "They aren't your children! They are Wraith!" he argued.

"Now that there are no longer Athosians, all I have left is my Wraith heritage. No matter how vial you find it," she responded.

"That's a load of crap and you know it!" he yelled, trying to get through to the person he considered his best friend. "Fight this. It's not you talking. It's those…things," he said, pointing to her stomach. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees in front of her, unable to control himself.

"I would think twice about how you speak about my offspring. They may decide to feed on you first."

A few seconds after the creatures left with Sheppard, the creatures that were holding Carson, Rodney and Ronon captive took their weapons and made the three men sit against the wall. Carson slid closer to Rodney. "Something's not right," he whispered.

"You mean we once again failed in another rescue attempt? I'm getting rather use to this," retorted Rodney.

Carson repressed a sigh. There was no way for Rodney or Ronon to know these creatures were acting oddly. "We should be dead or at least unconscious. Allowing us to remain unharmed goes against their nature," Carson explained.

"Lucky us. We found a couple of nice Frankenbugs. I'm sure when their buddies find us, they will take care of us," Rodney responded.

"No, there is something different about them," insisted Carson. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the creatures was listening to what he was saying.

"Maybe they are just waiting so they can feed us to the Wraith inside Teyla," Ronon offered.

At the sound of Teyla's name, the creature began chirping.

"Great. Now you got him mad," moaned Rodney.

Carson waved for Rodney to be quiet. He needed to think this out. From the moment the creatures agreed to take them to see Teyla, he knew something was amiss. The creature kept "talking", trying to tell him something.

Suddenly the pieces started coming together.

The fact the creatures didn't treat them cruelly.

The fact the creatures tried to form a truce with them when they first met.

The fact the creatures were seemingly obeying Teyla's commands.

"Oh my…" he breathed. He turned to his friends. "They are the Athosians."

At once, both creatures started chirping loudly, Rodney's jaw dropped and Ronon shook his head in disbelief.

He turned to the creatures. "If you really want to help Teyla, you need to let me see her. We've got to get those Wraith out of her before they hatch or else you won't be able to protect her any longer," Carson said imploringly.

The two exchanged chirps. Finally, one of them hauled Carson to his feet. The other handed him his medical kit.

Carson looked at the bug in front of him. He wondered which of Teyla's people stood disfigured in front of him. There would be time to worry about them later. "We're going to need our weapons. We have to…dispose of the embryos before they hatch."

Once again, they started chirping to Carson, not releasing their weapons to them. After a few moments, Carson understood their concern. "If you give our guns back to us, we will not harm you." He turned to his companions. "Right?"

For a moment, it seemed as though Ronon was going to refuse, but eventually he nodded. "As long as they take us to Teyla and Sheppard."

Within seconds, their weapons were returned to them and they were on their way to rescue their friends.

John had stopped trying to fight the Wraith in Teyla. Instead, kneeling in front of her, he tried reasoning with the woman he cared for.

"Teyla, you don't really want to be a Wraith queen," he said.

A bitter laugh. "You assume you know what I want?" she asked, amusement in her voice.

"Teyla, you hate the Wraith. They are evil. That's the last thing you are," he said sincerely. "You offer hope to those around you and help out those who are in need. You are not like them."

For a second, it seemed as though Teyla, his Teyla, could hear his words. Her face softened, a small smile fluttered over her lips. Then suddenly, she put her hands over her ears. "Silence!" she yelled.

She looked at the creatures that were guarding the exit. "Kill him. I will find other sustenance for my children." When they didn't move, she grew more irate. "You dare to disobey me? You will listen to me! I am your--"

John fell back when he heard the blast of Ronon's gun, his energy burst hitting Teyla. The connection between him and the Wraith was broken; he was able to move on his own again.

Carson pushed in front of Ronon. "I thought I told you to try not to stun her," he chided as he approached Teyla's still form.

"We all know how trigger happy Ronon is," reminded Rodney.

Seconds later, two more creatures came in with a gurney for Teyla. Carson picked up her legs while Ronon grabbed her upper body. "One, two, three," in a synchronized movement, they transferred her to the gurney.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sheppard asked, eyeing the suddenly helpful bug-creatures suspiciously.

"Long story," Ronon answered as two more tables were pushed in the room.

"You know what to do, right?" Carson asked, as he began extracting his equipment from the case.

Ronon nodded. "You take them out, I shoot them. Pretty simple."

John looked at Ronon. "Let me," he said.

Nodding, Ronon handed him his gun. He knew how important it was for John to see the destruction of these abominations.

With the crude equipment they had, Carson set up an IV and stuck the needle in Teyla. Satisfied, he handed Rodney two bags full of medication. "Do not let go of these," he said, pulling his arms up to shoulder level.

"Sorry, my dear," Carson whispered as he cut through her shirt, revealing her stomach. Rodney's eyes widened as he saw the flurry of activity in Teyla's stomach.

Carefully, the doctor began to slice through her skin. After a few moments, Carson said, "All right. Here come the little buggers."

John couldn't look at Carson removing the eggs. The slurping sounds were graphic enough. Suddenly a table full of eggs was in front of them. Eight, he counted.

"There are more, but Beckett thinks you should get rid of them as quickly as possible," Ronon explained.

John didn't need to be told twice. Pushing the table to the other end of the room, he began shooting them, each one a chain of bondage that Teyla was no longer bound to.

As he finished, another pile of eggs were brought to him on the other table. "Carson doesn't think there are many more," Ronon said, taking the now-empty table back to the doctor.

Ten more, John counted. He shot each one without regret.

Before he could complete his task, Ronon ran up to him. He threw the egg on the table. "Shoot it! It's about to hatch."

With all the hatred that John had towards Michael, he fired Ronon's gun at the moving egg. After several shots, it was motionless. He completed destroying the rest of the eggs as Ronon went back to check on Carson.

Several minutes later, Ronon dragged the table back to John. "This is all of them," he said.

Another seven were in front of him. Before he fired, he looked at them, slimy, gray and horrid. Each one was no bigger than his fist, yet each held the ability to destroy Teyla's mind. Quickly, he disposed of the rest of the embryos.

He handed Ronon back his weapon. "Thanks," he said as he walked past him.

"How is she doing?" he asked to Scot who held a stethoscope to her heart.

"As well as I can tell, fine. You need to get her back to Atlantis. Have Jen watch out for any infections and have her perform an ultrasound, just to be safe," Carson instructed.

"Where are you going to be?" John asked.

Carson shifted his gaze away from his patient to the creatures standing in the doorway. "I need to set some things right."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for your feedback! It really is like chicken soup of the fic writer's muse. :) And now we're coming to the end of the road. (I'm still deciding if I'll write an epilogue or not.) I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did. As always, I'd love to read what you think!**

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Within the hour, Teyla arrived in the infirmary with John close behind her. Keller ran out to meet them. "Colonel Carter said that Carson had already performed the surgery."

Sheppard nodded, watching as her staff put Teyla on the examination table. "He said to do an ultrasound and keep an eye out for an infection."

She looked behind Sheppard, expecting to see Beckett. "Where is he?"

"He's, uh, busy," he answered unhelpfully.

Seeing that she wasn't going to get a straight answer, Keller walked up to her patient and examined her belly. Neat, uniform stitches were the only testimony to the procedure Carson had performed. Quickly, she ran a scan on her. There were no signs of any eggs in her womb.

When she announced that, John immediately felt the tension leave his body.

We watched as Keller found a sheet a gently placed it over Teyla. "Colonel, you can stay here, but it may be a while until she wakes up," Keller warned.

He pulled a chair from across the room and placed it next to Teyla's bed. "I'll wait."

Hours passed without any change in Teyla's condition. After her sixth round of checking on Teyla's vitals, Sheppard finally asked Keller, "Why isn't she waking up?"

A look of uncertainty passed over the young doctor's face. "I contacted Carson and spoke with him concerning her. We think it has to do with the loss of the embryos. They had such a strong psychic connection with her for so long. Now that they're gone, her mind is trying to reteach itself how to function without them." She smiled sheepishly. "At least that's what we think."

"So you don't know when she'll wake up?" he asked, frowning.

Keller shrugged. "To be honest, no. It could be hours. It could be days. The one thing we can't do is try to rush her recovery. She'll wake up when she's ready. Her vitals are strong and there's no sign of an infection. Now we just have to wait for her mind to recover as much as her body."

"I hate waiting," he admitted.

She smiled sympathetically. "I know. Listen, you should go down to the mess hall and get yourself something to eat. It's been hours since you're eaten."

"But I--"

"Don't make me get Colonel Carter involved," she threatened, though there was a small smile on her face.

His gaze shifted to Teyla's still form. "You'll call me if anything changes, right?"

"I promise."

John had eaten his meal and walked back to the infirmary without any contact from Keller. He tried not to be worried; neither doctor seemed horribly concerned with how long Teyla's recovery was taking. Still, seeing her in the bed, so motionless was difficult for John.

As he retook his seat, he took the time to look over the woman who had become so close to him over the past few years. Gone were any traces of Wraith. She had been correct; she had returned to her usual beauty. It was an understatement to say he was relieved; he didn't know how she would have reacted if she had not been able to return to her human state.

As she lay there, weak and helpless, John felt the last of the walls he had constructed between the two of them crumble. There was no reason for them not to go back to the way they were before she found out she was pregnant. Perhaps, he thought, there could even be the possibility of something more.

A shuffling at the door made him look up. It was Carson. "There's been no change, I take it," he said quietly, as if not to disturb Teyla.

John shook his head. "No, but Keller warned me it could be a while."

"Aye, it could be," Carson said, nodding.

"So, did you find what you were looking for?" John asked, wanting to shift the subject away from Teyla's condition.

Again, the doctor nodded. "Yes. I'm having Rodney go over the data right now. Once he can figure out what I'll need, I'm going back off-world."

"You know, he really took it hard when we thought you had, well, you know." He paused for a second. "We all did."

A faint smile passed over his lips. "I appreciate you letting me know." He started moving away towards the medical supplies.

"Thank you, Carson," John said sincerely. "For saving her life."

That time the smile reached his blue eyes. "I'm a doctor. It's what I do."

Some time in the night, John fell asleep next to Teyla's bed. A soft movement caused him to lift his head off the sliver of bed he was resting on. Excitedly, he looked at Teyla's eyes, which were fluttering. "Doc!" he yelled. "I think you should get over here!"

Keller came out of her office. Quickly, she glanced at the readings and let out a relieved smile.

Teyla's eyes fully opened. "John?"

She was greeted with a toothy grin. "Yeah, it's me."

"What am I doing here? The last thing I remember…" Her eyes widened at the memory. Instantly her gaze shifted to her stomach. "Where are they? Michael said that there was no child, but the offspring of the Wraith inside of me."

Keller put her hand on her shoulder. "They are gone now. You're safe."

"Carson saved your life," John added.

"That's right, that's what the creatures told me. That you, Rodney, Ronon and Carson had come to save me," she said slowly, as if to better remember. Suddenly her eyes began to water. "My people…they are those horrid creatures!"

The monitors around her started beeping loudly. "Teyla, you have to calm down," warned Keller.

John caught her frightened gaze. "I wouldn't be too worried about your people."

Anger replaced sorrow. "Why should I not be concerned?"

He exchanged a glance with Keller, to ask if he could tell her. After a moment, the doctor nodded. "Carson believes there is a way to reverse the DNA alteration. He, Rodney and Ronon went to Michael's lab and got all of the experiment data. He thinks that, with the right strand of the Retrovirus they will be able to return to normal."

"When does he think he will be ready?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

"Teyla, it could take days or weeks," Keller interjected.

"I need to go there!" Teyla said, attempting to get up.

Both John and Keller put their hands on her. "No, you need to rest. Your body is still recovering from major trauma. When I think you're ready to go, you can, but not a moment sooner," said the doctor firmly. Her voice softened. "I'm serious, Teyla. Your people need to depend on you for strength. You're not going to be able to give them that unless you take the time to get better."

Teyla nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Now I need to let Colonel Carter know that you're awake," she said, leaving the two together.

Before he started speaking, Teyla said, "John, I am so sorry for saying those things to you. I did not mean any of it."

He shrugged off her apology. "Don't worry about it. I know it wasn't you." When she didn't say anything else, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

She took a moment to consider her answer. "Confused. I wonder how many of my actions over the past nine months were not my own, but those of the creatures inside of me," she said worriedly.

John knew the feeling; when he was infected with the Retrovirus, looking back, he had to separate what were his actions and what were those of the creature taking over him. "You can't do that. You are you now and that's all that matters."

They sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes, each thinking over that past 48 hours. Suddenly, the radio crackled in his ear. "John, I need you to come to the conference room. Carson thinks he's ready to go," he heard Carter say.

He tapped his earpiece. "I'm on my way." He smiled apologetically. "Duty calls."

She returned a warm smile. "I understand."

His earlier thoughts of wanting something more than a warm camaraderie flashed through his mind. Without thinking, he leaned down and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Things are going to get better," he promised.

As he left the room, she touched her cheek softly. "Yes, John, I believe they will be."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes: See below.**

Six Weeks Later:

Teyla looked at Carson with a smile. "Are you ready? They are expecting us soon."

He nodded at he closed the plastic case. "I have to admit I'm more than a wee bit nervous."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry. Everything will be fine, of that I am sure."

Together they walked out of the tent in the middle of the village. Outside, dozens of Athosians were gathered. Halling stepped forward to Carson and smiled. "Words cannot express the gratitude we have for you."

A blush colored Carson's cheeks. The past few weeks were filled with trials, trying to return their DNA to its original state. With a fierce determination, Carson tried dozens of stands of the retrovirus before finding the correct one. Once discovered, the Athosians began to slowly transform back to their human state.

"I was just doing my job," he mumbled.

Halling bowed slightly before turning to Teyla. "Once the crops have been replanted and a new harvest is grown, we will have a great feast to celebrate our victory over our Wraith captor."

She touched his forehead to her own. "Take care. I will return soon." She looked at her people, smiling, then turned away from the village with Carson close behind.

Together they walked through the forest, the sounds of cracking branched below them. Finally, she broke the silence. "I know there are many people who will be happy to see you returning to Atlantis."

"It will be nice going back there. I'm glad that Colonel Carter convinced Jen to stay, though I have to admit. I'm a bit confused as to why she would stay on staff as a regular doctor. She has enough experience to be the head of medicine at any hospital on earth," Carson replied.

"I believe her willingness to stay has less to do with her position and more to do with a certain Runner on the expedition," Teyla said coyly.

"You mean her and Ronon?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"And I hear that Lt. Cadman has recently agreed to an assignment back on Atlantis," she added with a smile.

"Really? That's interesting," he said. He paused before adding, "Speaking of interesting, what's this I heard about you and Colonel Sheppard?"

He saw the panicked expression on her face before the mask of indignation replaced it. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Of course you don't," he said with a laugh. He leaned close to her. "Are you two shacking up yet?"

"Carson! I'll have you know that John is a perfect gentleman."

"Colonel Sheppard is a normal red blooded male," the doctor argued. "I'm just glad you two finally decided to move things forward."

Her face softened, "Me too."

Soon, they arrived at the gate, each eager to return to Atlantis. Teyla dialed the gate as Carson took a deep breath. It had been a hellish year, but he was finally returning to where he belonged.

The wormhole was established and together the teammates walked through the gate. On the other side, the rest of their team was waiting for them along with Colonel Carter and Dr. Keller.

Carter stepped ahead of everyone, in front of Carson. "Dr. Beckett, I just wanted to be the first to welcome you back to Atlantis."

He looked around room, seeing Chuck in the control room and his friends in front of him. "Thank you, Colonel. It feels good to be back."

"Great," Rodney said, stepping in front of Carter, "now that we got that out of the way, maybe you can talk to Doctor Keller. She doesn't seem to understand the severity of my hypoglycemia. Did you know that once she even said that my symptoms were psychosomatic?"

Carson grinned at his friend. He was definitely back home.

**A/N: Wow! It's complete! I thought if the story started with Carson (yeah, that was him back in chapter 1) it should end with him too. J Thank you again to everyone who reviewed, especially those who took the time to review each chapter. I am humbled that y'all would take the time to drop a note. We'll see where the Muse takes me from here, but no big stories on the horizon. Thanks again and happy reading!**


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